Redheads can be the subject of a lot of jokes, maybe because they stand out so much, being just about 2% of the world's population. But not for long!
A Harvard study of nearly 16,000 ancient human remains found that red hair genes are actually SPREADING . . . meaning natural selection has been quietly rooting for redheads this whole time.
Since the study looked at OLD remains, it's not a new shift, but looking at trends over a large number of years can show how humans are evolving . . . slowly . . . over time.
Nobody knows for sure why redheads may be becoming more common, but scientists think being ginger may have been genuinely advantageous around 4,000 years ago . . . and beneficial (or "desirable") traits get a glow-up.
Or it could be more random . . . with those genes just "coming along for the ride" with another important trait
Some other trends that were noticed:
Humans have evolved a greater immunity from: Male pattern baldness . . . arthritis . . . leprosy . . . bipolar disorder . . . and schizophrenia.
The bad news? Celiac disease and Crohn's disease have increased in prominence . . . probably because in the past, people with those died younger.